Gun carriage



Sept. 6,` 1938. A. P. EUQUOR GUN CARRI AGE Original Filled Deo. 17, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet l A. P. EUQUO R GUN CARRIAGE sept. 6, 193s.

Original Filed Dec. 1'7, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elm/M1136 A.v P. BUQUCJR'` GUN CARRIAGE Sept. 6, 1938.

original Filed Dec. 17, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 A. P. BUQUOR GUN CARRIAGE Sept. 6, 1938.

Original. Filed Deo. 17, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 6, 1938. A. P, BUQUOR 2,129,315

GUN CARRIAGE Original Filed Deo. 17, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 gms/nm Gum/M436 Sept. 6, 1938.

`Original Filed Dec. 17, 1932 A. P. BUQUOR GUN CARRIAGE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Sept. 6, 1938 sass-Nr fossi-c1 assignments, `to Martin-'Parry Corporation, York, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Criginal application December 17, 1932, Serial n No. 647,822. Y Divided andjthisrapplcationFeb ruary `2d, 1934,"Serial No.1712,818. VRenewed July 11, 1936 5 Claims.

'This invention relates to gun carriages and particularly to lgun carriages which are adapted for high speed transportation and easy wheeling and which are also adapted for supporting the .gun during firing.

At the present time the Government of the United States has in its possession some thousands of slow moving horse-drawn guns of the type generally known as the French '75 mm. While these guns are satisfactory in operation, they have no practical utility for modern warfare for many reasons, including,l for instance,- the fact that the artillery wheels thereon render them incapable of a speed of more than twelve miles per hour `without pounding themselves to pieces and also damaging the gunwequipment. Furthermore, the .wheelsbecome 4'defective byl drying out and become rloose inboth the hub and the felloe. For practical purposes, therefore, these guns must `betransported on motorwvehicles and removed therefrom at the place of combatfwhich is awkward and tedious, involving considerable manpower `and also involving considerable expensive :conveying equipment.

Oneofthe objects of the present invention is .to convert this type of gun into an easy-wheeling, high-speed gun which/has a speed of between .thirty-five and sixty-miles per hour.

Another object of the invention is to provide a .gun carriage yequipped with high speed rubber .tired wheels which are adapted to `absorb the road shocks incident to high speed transport and which is arranged to permit the firing of the gun while supported onthe 'rubber tired wheels, without displacementofgthe gun and consequent misalignmentthereof du'e to rebound from the rubber tires and -which `produces a carriage of adequate :stability in ring, accuracy and ease oi handling.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a` high speed gun carriage which is equipped with iiexibly tired wheels and which will absorbtherecoil of the gun without causing such wheels to be-lifted from `the ground so that the gun returns to the original line of sight after each discharge thereof.

t Another object of the invention is to provide a device whereby high speed rubber tired wheels may besuccessfully substituted for the artillery wheels conventionally used upon certain types of ygun carriages.

"Another object of the invention is to provide a replacement unit which enables wheels of smaller diameter to be used upon conventional gun carriages without, modication of the essential. portions of the gun carriage, without changing ;theheight of kthe axle andpwithout substantiallyincreasing the weightof the gun carriage. fAnother object of the invention is to provide a structure wherein the axles of the rubber tired wheels are disposedbelowgthe, axle of they gun `and arepermitted limited relative `,movement with respect to the gun axle.

Another objectiresides in the provision of resilient impactnabsorbing means whichI does not intertere, with l,the operation ofthe gunfor maintaining the Wheel axles in position below Athe gun .axlegftobassist in` absorbing road shocks during Itransport ,and in rabsorbing aportion of the recoil of4 the gunA during firing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure wherein the` wheel axles v.are supported by depending arms substantially l. below and slightly forward,kofrrthe` center lineofthe gun axle whenin transport positioneto prevent pounding action and are` maintained at a fixed distance from the gun-,axle such thatroad shocks are largely absorbed, by the rubber tires in combination with Vthis, construction. Moreover, the arms automatically advance .forwardly a greater distance from the center line Yof the axle when the trail is imbeddedfinthe ground for` firing.

-Another object ofythe invention is to provide an impact absorbing-structure which will maintain the wheel axles below the gun axle, when the gun is disposed for ring,vin such a position that the `vertical components of the forces set' up by-thexguns recoil will be at least. partially absorbed -by theyimpact labsorbing structure whereby Vto minimize bouncing on the rubber tires.

More specically the invention comprehends the provision-.of a pair of depending arms, replacing the ordinary artillery wheels, which have portions journaled on the bearing of thegun `axle and carrying wheel axles below the gunaxle for the reception of -interchangeable rubber tiredi wheels, wthmechanism for yieldingly supporting the wheel axle in any position of the gun, withou`t in anyway interfering with the gun equipment possessed by the guns of the type referred I locked while the other wheel is moved over an obstacle or rough place, and then locked and the other wheel moved over.

E. 75 mm. with the high speed adaptors is a1- ways ready for action and for march order.

F. Rapid crank traverse is made possible for the simple reason that there is no binding or strain or weight. on the gun axle key-way, thereby allowing the gun to be traversed very easily and freely.

G. Having better stability for fire at fast moving targets for reason that one wheel can be locked by individual operating brakes allowing the gun to pivot on one wheel and the other to move around on circle.

H. Having better stability for firing on account of brake equipment locking both wheels and not allowing gun to pull forward on the counterrecoil.

I. Quick replacement of entire assembly or any part thereof.

J. No part is keyed or attached to the sliding gun axle, axle housing, or any parts that will permit or cause any strain or twist to the gun axle keyway.

K. The lateral sliding movement of the gun barrel and the protecting shield are not interfered with in any way.

L. Brakes are provided, using the late model standard Ford brakes. These brakes can be applied together or separately if desired in handling the gun.

M. Easily and quickly installed on guns in the field, and not necessary to drill any holes or change any parts of the standard French '75 mm, gun.

N. Very light and flexible.

O. Low in cost.

P. Weight of the gun carriage is not materially increased as the combined weight of the substituted parts is not substantially greater than the weight of the artillery wheels.

Q. Installation without any changes whatsoever to the standard gun carriage can be made in the neld when necessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide a resilient mechanism connected to the trail of the gun which will maintain the wheels in alignment and below the gun axle and which will remain stationary with respect to the gun axle when the gun is traversed.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of suitable braking mechanism for controlling the gun during high speed transport and for assisting in the placement and maintenance of the gun in firing position, the braking mechanism being so arranged and positioned as not to interfere with the firing of the gun and being capable of being used as firing brakes to prevent the movement forward as the counterreeoil.

A still further object of the invention is to provide braking mechanism designed to operate independently on each wheel for the purpose of zig-zagging the gun up a hill over rough ground and over obstacles and also for pivoting on one locked wheel to prevent the gun from running out of control down a grade and for pivoting on one wheel for ring at a moving target permitting the trail to be moved around, pivoting on the wheel either right or left, which gives an approximate true liring arc when firing at a moving object.

Many other important advantages and features of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification, in conjunction with the drawings attached hereto, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of the gun showing the improved gun carriage with parts broken away;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the gun and carriage with one wheel removed;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a detail of the compensating shaft assembly shown in plan view;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 4,'

Figure 6 is a section through the compensating shaft and mounting taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a detail plan of the brake mechanism;

Figure 8 is an elevation of' the part shown in Figure 7 Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 7; and

Figure 10 is a detailed view showing the difierent positions the arms assume when firing and towing respectively.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l0 indicates in general the gun and trail assembly; II indicates the gun axle; I2 indicates the depending arms on which the wheel axles are mounted; I3 indicates in general the depending arm supporting mechanism which includes the compensator shaft I4, radius rods I5 and a wishbone device I6; I 'I indicates the rubber tired wheels mounted upon the wheel axles and I8 indicates in general the brake mechanism.

The gun and trail assembly includes the usual gun barrel I9 provided with the usual recoil mechanism ZIJ, traverse mechanism 2| and elevating mechanism 22, all of which is mounted upon a trail 23 provided with the usual spade 24. This assembly is mounted for lateral sliding movement upon the gun axle II and carries with it the usual gun shield 25.

In applicants improved device the usual artillery wheels are removed and replaced by the depending arms I2 which have a hub portion 26 adapted to t over the bearings on the ends of the gun axle II to provide for oscillation of the depending arms about the gun axle. The depending arms I2 are further provided with bores 2l adapted to receive stud shafts 28 which extend laterally outwardly from the depending arms to form axles 29 upon which wheels I1 are mounted by anti-friction bearings 30. It will be noted that the wheel axles 29 are parallel to and spaced from the gun axle II and are positioned below the gun axle in all positions of the gun. The depending arms I2 are provided with studs 3l below the wheel axles. These studs extend laterally inwardly from the depending arms and are provided at their innermost extremities with balls 32. The balls 32 are adapted to receive one end of radius rods I5 which extend rearwardly to the compensating shaft I4. The ends of the compensating shaft I4 are also provided with balls 33 adapted to receive the other ends of the radius rods I5. As shown in Figure 3, the radius rods I5 are provided at the ends which receive the balls 32 on the depending arms I3 with bores 34 adapted to receive bearing blocks 35 and 36 engaging the surface of the balls 32 upon opposite sides thereof. The bearing blocks 35 are urged outwardly of the bores against the balls 32 by springs 3l and the bearing blocks 36 are retained in the bores by means of screw threaded plugs 38. The other ends of the radius rods are also provided with bores 39 in which bearing blocks 40 :and 4I are positioned to bearupon opposite sides of the balls 33. 'Ihe;inner. bearing blocks/4|] abut theinnerwendsof the bores 39 whilethe bearing blocks 4I.are resiliently `urged against the balls33 byf` the springs42. `The springs 42 are retained within the bores 39 by-.screw threaded plugs 43 forming abutments for 'the springs.` 42.

Brackets 44 are rigidly mounted upon the `trail 43 and are provided with bearings 45 to receive `the compensating shaft I4 which extends below thegun trail.` Bearings 45 permit the gun trail -to `move laterally with respect't'o the compensating shaft I4, which shaft is constrained to remain `in al fixed vposition with respect to the gun axle when the gun is traversed to the right or left. As `shownl in Figure 6,' the shaft I4 is provided with a stud45 extending vertically therethrough and provided with a ball 41 positioned below the compensating shaft I4. The'wishbone device I6 is` provided with a bearing socket 48 which surrounds the ball 41 for universal movement. The ends of the Wishbone device are provided with brackets 49 which are rigidly attached to the gun axle by means of U-bolts 50. To prevent grit and other abrasives from entering the bearings 45, flexible bellows are positioned around the exposed ends of the shaft I4 and the rear ends of the radius rods I5 so as not to interfere with the lateral sliding of the shaft I4 or the universal movement of the radius rods I5 with respect to the shaft I4. It will be seen from the above description of `the wheel axle supporting mechanism, that the gun may be traversed so as to slide upon the gun axle without changing the relative position of `thewheels and that the axles of the wheels will at all times remain parallel to the gun axle. When the gun is constrained to slide along the gun axle in traversing, the

Wishbone device I6 acting through the ball 41 causes the compensating shaft I4 to remain fixed in position with respect to the gun axle II. It will thus be seen that there is no tendency to vary the distance between the balls 33 upon the compensating shaft and the balls 32 upon the depending arms I2 and that the relative positions of the wheels with respect to the gun axle are not disturbed in traversing the gun.

As shown in Figure 2, the depending arms I2, when the gun is in firing position, are arranged such that the wheel axles 29 are positioned below the gun axle and forwardly thereof. When the gun is fired, the reaction to discharge of the projectile has a vertical component tending to raise the gun and carriage from the ground. Because of their weight, the wheels and parts supported thereby tend to resist this movement and in applicants device the resisting force compresses the spring 31 allowing the depending arms to oscillate slightly in a rearward direction so that the wheel axis approaches a position more nearly below the gun axle. That is some of the normal upward movement of the gun carriage is taken care of by the increased vertical distance between the gun axle and the wheel axle and also the tires are effective to allow some upward movement of the gun carriage before the wheels leave the ground. Also some of the energy of the vertical component of the guns reaction is absorbed in compressing the spring 31, such that the movement is to some extent prevented. As will be apparent applicants device produces a gun carriage of adequate stability in firing, accuracy and ease of handling, because of the reduction in the tendency of the wheels to leave 'positionedslightly forward of the gun axle. .athis-position .the vertical stresses due to road i lthe. ground, .and therefore obviates` the necessity f of resightingr after firing.

4The movement past the original position of the vgun is resisted by the springs 43 on thei other ends ofthe radius rods I5 and the Venergy of this V5 movement absorbed by the spring and sliding bearing 44 as well as by the rubber tires. Continued oscillation of the gun in an upward direction is damped over that which would take place,

wererubber tires used without'applicants resil- P10 ient` supporti-ng device for the wheel axles.

d It will be noted'that when the trail 23 is lifted to transport position, the wheel axle 29 will be In shocksfare absorbed by the tires in combination 'with the oscillating movement of the depending arms, which are forward ofthezgun :axle `through the rad-ius `rod springs.

Itisvpointed out that none of the mechanism i20 above described in anyway interferes with the operations necessary to fire the gun. The gun wmay. be traversed asreadily as is thecase when .'upwardly and rearwardly `fromthewheel axis 29 infwhich a supportingA shaftl 52 is mounted to fextend between the depending arms upon opposite ends of the axle."4 The supporting shaft 52 is` mounted in' thebearings 5i with sufficient flexibility topermiirlimited independent move- 'mentiofthevdepending'arms I2. A brake `lever 53 is positioned adjacent the depending arm I2 at one side of the gun carriage and is journaled upon the shaft 52. This brake lever has a depending portion 54 projecting below the shaft 52 and is connected by means of a link 55 to a lever arm 56 rigidly secured to a brake operating cam shaft 51 journaled in a brake supporting plate 58 mounted upon the depending arm I2 and concentric with the wheel axis. Rotation of the cam shaft 51 is eiective to force internal brake shoes 59 against the internal surface of a brake drum 69 carried by the wheel hub 6I by means of a cam mechanism not shown. A tubular member 62 surrounds the brake supporting shaft 52 and has a lever 63 rigidly connected thereto and positioned adjacent and coaxially with the lever 53. The other end of the tube is provided with a collar B4 carrying a lever arm 55 depending below the shaft 5I. This depending lever arm 65 is connected by means of a link 55 and lever arm 56 to a brake mechanism exactly similar to that above described with respect to the lever 53.

Ratchet segments 66 are mounted on the depending arm I2 by suitable bolts and are adapted to be engaged by ratchets 61 pivotally mounted upon the levers 53 and 63 and adapted to be actuated by the manually operable latch lever 68 pivotally mounted upon the upper end of the levers 53 and 63 and connected to the ratchet 61 by the rods 69.

It will be thus seen that I have provided independently operative brakes, which are adapted for high speed transport and which may be used 75 during transportation.

to brake either of the wheels at the option of the operator. It is also to be noted that the brake levers 53 and 83 are positioned closely adjacent each other such that the two levers may be easily operated simultaneously. This arrangement provides a device by which one of the wheels may be locked while the other wheel is swung around the locked wheel as a fixed pivot to assist in placing the gun for firing and which allows both of the Wheels to be locked for firing purposes as Well as providing braking for stopping the progress of the gun while being transported.

As will be observed from the diagrammatic view shown in Figure 10, the stub axles secured to the depending arms are positioned approximately three-fourths of an inch forwardly of the gun axle when in transporting position whereby to permit yieldably resisted oscillation of the depending arms thereby to minimize pounding, road shocks and wear and tear on gun equipment This off-set relationship of the stub axles is automatically increased to approximately three inches When the trail is lowered and embedded in the ground when firing.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 647,822 led December 1'7, 1932.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that many changes in construction and arrangement of parts may be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention, as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A gun carriage having a cranked axle `and a pair of resilient tired supporting wheels, a shaft extending between the cranks of said axle and carried thereby, a braking mechanism for each of said Wheels carried by the cranked portions of said axle, and means mounted on said shaft for independently or simultaneously operating said braking mechanisms, said means including a pair of hand levers adjacent one of said cranked portions of said axle and a second shaft connected to one of said hand levers and extending to the other cranked portion of said axle and means operatively connecting said latter shaft to one of said braking mechanism and means connecting the remaining hand lever to the other braking mechanism.

2. The gun carriage as defined in claim 1 in which the cranked axle comprises the usual axle normally taking large artillery wheels and depending members provided with wheel spindles mounted on opposite ends of said axle.

3. The gun carriage as defined in claim 1 in which said second shaft comprises a tubular member surrounding said first mentioned shaft.

4. The gun carriage as defined in claim 1 in which the cranked axle comprises the usual axle adapted to take large artillery wheels and depending members provided With Wheel spindles mounted for limited rotation on opposite ends of said axle and resilient brace means connecting said members to said gun carriage to limit the rotation of said members.

5. A gun carriage having a cranked axle and a pair of resiliently tired supporting wheels, a braking mechanism for each of said Wheels carried by the cranked portions of said axle, and means supported by the cranked portions of said axle for independently or simultaneously operating said braking mechanisms, said means including a pair of hand levers adjacent one of said crank portions of said axle and a shaft connected to one of said hand levers and extending to the other crank portion of said axle, and means operatively connecting said shaft to one of said braking mechanisms and means connecting the remaining hand lever to the other braking mechanism.

ADOLPH P. BUQUOR. 

